Rugema wins; men finish 2nd

Wildcats finish as runner-up for third straight year

ASHLAND, Ohio -- Alfred Rugema capped his remarkable career Saturday with his second individual national cross country championship while helping the Wildcats to their third straight team runner-up finish at the NCAA Division II national cross country championships.

Rugema, who also won the 2000 title before finishing seventh last year, covered the 10,000 meter course in 30 minutes, 43.7 seconds.  He was one of three ACU runners -- Bernard Manirakiza and John Kemboi being the others -- to earn all-America status for finishing in the top 15.

On the team side, Western State, Colo., once again thwarted ACU's national title aspirations.  Western State's depth was too much to overcome as all five of its runners finished in the top 13, including four in the top eight.

Western State finished with 35 points while ACU was second with 81 points.  Adams State, Colo., was third with 131 followed by South Dakota State in fourth with 143 and Cal State-Chico in fifth with 154.

On the women's side, Western State won the national crown with 43 points, topping its Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference rival Adams State, Colo., for the second straight year.  Adams State was second with 46 points.

ACU's two female representatives -- Justine Nahimana and Angie Waters -- finished 80th and 81st, respectively.  Nahimana covered the 6,000-meter course in 23:44.1, while Waters finished in 23:46.8.

In the men's individual race, Rugema conquered both the elements and Nick Cordes of host Ashland University.  Mother Nature dumped about four inches of snow on the course Friday, and while it didn't snow Saturday during the race, the runners did have to contend with cold weather and a wet, snowy, soggy course.

Rugema and Cordes waged a gallant battle over the final two miles for the individual championship.  Rugema had a short lead when Cordes passed him at the 4.5-mile mark.  Rugema, though, rallied and the two ran shoulder-to-shoulder over the Brookside Golf Course terrain.

Finally, down the stretch, it was Rugema who prevailed.  He topped Cordes by 2.8 seconds, who came in at 30:46.5.

"It was cold," Rugema admitted.  "This was the first time I've run in these conditions.  It was hard; the first mile my feet were frozen.  It took me maybe three or four miles to get warm.  When (Cordes) passed me, I thought it was the guy (William Banks) from Western.  When he passed me I said, 'Whoa, this is a different guy.' He ran an awesome race.  With two miles to go, I started to go."

Rugema completed his remarkable as a three-time NCAA Division II national champion (two cross country championships and the 5000 meter indoor championship in 2000).  One of the top long-distance runners in ACU history, Rugema finished as the runner-up in national championship races on eight occasions.

ns a lot to win it in these kind of conditions," Rugema said.  "Additionally, this was my last NCAA race, and it's good to go out like this."

Saturday's race was also the last race in the career of the incomparable Kemboi, who finished 12th.  Kemboi won 10 national championships in his career, tying him with the great Bobby Morrow for the most individual national championships won by a Wildcat in a career.  He won six NCAA Division II outdoor national championships in his career, becoming only the second NCAA Division II athlete to ever accomplish the feat.

ACU INDIVIDUALS -- 1. Alfred Rugema, 30:43.7; 7. Bernard Manirakiza, 31:33.0; 12. John Kemboi, 31:56.1; 25. Martin O'Kello, 32:13.5; 36. Jean-Marie Ndukimana, 32:31.7; 38. Arthemon Sindayigaya, 32:35.2; 51. Nick Branen, 32:57.7.